Tai Chi Dynamics: Principles of Natural Movement, Health & Self-Development
by Robert Chuckrow
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Book Summary Information
Author: Robert ChuckrowEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2008-07-25
ISBN: 1594391165
Number of pages: 180
Publisher: YMAA Publication Center
Book Reviews of Tai Chi Dynamics: Principles of Natural Movement, Health & Self-Development
Book Review: "A string of pearls" in a lot of seaweed
Summary: 3 Stars
*Disclosure- I received this book through YMAA for free to review. *
Although Robert Chukrow is billed as a Ph.D. in experimental physics, it seems that he has left behind the `experimental' ideal for the realm of anecdote and supposition. Dr. Chukrow states that "Many verifiable scientific principles have originated with conjecture." True enough, but they became scientific principles only after backed up by facts.
As an example, Dr, Chukrow places a great deal on the idea of `muscular extension'- the idea that a muscle can `push' or cause movement by extending, rather than contracting. The problem with this idea is that the mechanism of muscular movement is well described in cellular and molecular biology. Actin and myosin filaments within muscle fibers interact in a `ratchet' mechanism that only provides force by shortening, or contracting. They cannot provide force by lengthening. Dr. Chukrow provides a diagram of a possible mechanism of muscular lengthening, but his diagram would require that muscle fibers be arranged in a dramatically different way- one not found in real life. In addition, if `muscular extension' was so powerful, why are all axial skeletal muscles arranged in opposing pairs? Why not a single muscle that could do both active contraction and extension?
While this idea of `muscular extension' might be a good training tool for visualization, much like imagining the limbs inflating with air for the feeling of `peng', Dr. Chukrow seems to treat muscular extension as a physiologic fact, and bases much of his explanation of tai chi phenomena on this idea. However, until he gives me a better reason as to how `muscular extension' really occurs, I retain a significant amount of skepticism about his explanation.
Dr. Chukrow covers many topics in his book... perhaps too many. His chapters on self-defense and martial applications are fairly basic, but my impression is that Dr. Chukrow's main focus is not in those aspects of tai chi. Other topics, including fasting, dream interpretation, the nature of consciousness, and life after death, range far from the empirical world, and turn the physical exercise of tai chi into a near pseudo-religion.
Despite my misgivings about the presentation of many of his concepts, there are some very good things in this book. I thought his chapters on `seemingly paradoxical admonitions' that makes the student question those `always/never' statements, push hands, and teaching students were enlightening and worthwhile chapters for any tai chi player to read. I also enjoyed his chapters on relationships and dynamics in tai chi movement after I learned to take his ideas on muscular extension figuratively and not literally.
I leave with a quote from an Amazon reviewer of Dr Chukrow's previous writing "The Tai Chi Book"
"I was hoping for a book written by a smart man of Western science to provide some insight into this most esoteric of Eastern "mythological" topics. I was hoping for a breakdown of at least basic biomechanics, some Western-style research into physiology, so that those concepts would be used to elaborate on this author's insights into the learning process of understanding and mastering Tai Chi.
Not to be."
Dr. Chukrow does provide an answer of sorts to this reviewer, but I'm afraid that some of his biomechanical and physiological explanations are lacking. He continues to delve into aspects of philosophy and metaphysics that may or may not fall into your definition of the study of tai chi chuan, just as he did in his last book. There are some very good concepts in Dr. Chukrow's writings, but the reader has to separate the wheat from the chaff...
Summary of Tai Chi Dynamics: Principles of Natural Movement, Health & Self-Development
Intended for intermediate level Tai Chi players. The author, a thirty-seven year Tai Chi practitioner with a Ph.D. in experimental physics, applies logic and basic scientific principles to clarify many perplexing concepts in Tai Chi such as force, muscle contraction, breathing, and more. Discusses self-development, Tai Chi massage, how diet effects Tai Chi, the role of a teacher and many more common concerns of intermediate Tai Chi students. Supported with photographs and drawings throughout.General Books
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